Warwickshire, Watergall Farm, Southam:
Mainly level farmland
Course updated 2019, new uphill start and early section with hedges which continue to mature. More improvements promised for 2022.
Novice: hedges and rails (including a few portables) and a ‘trot in’ water splash which is sometimes dry. Generously-sized pen towards the end of the course.
Intermediate – up to height, good hedges. Pen, water splash, road crossing at the end.
Official photographs: https://www.1stclassimages.com/f476619688
Belvoir, Garthorpe, near Melton Mowbray:
Built within the point to point course at Garthorpe around a natural amphitheatre so fairly hilly
Use different class descriptions ie:
Fun: (small novice height) Hedges and rails, ditch towards the end, also ‘trot in’ water splash.
Novice: (larger novice height) Some bigger hedges. Ditch and water splash.
Intermediate: Good hedges, plenty of twists and turns including ‘bow tie’ feature fence, ditches and water splash. Makes use of the terrain, need to be fairly fit.
New open course for 2022, incorporating some of the larger hedges from the intermediate
Official photographs: https://www.1stclassimages.com/f118509838
Beaufort, Sopworth, Wiltshire:
Mainly pastureland, hilly section in the middle, new course so still developing
Novice: timber, stone walls and a few hedges, Twists and turns, several island fences
Intermediate: timber, stone walls and a few hedges with rails in, some good drops, twisty, needs an agile horse.
Official photographs:
https://www.1stclassimages.com/f498570408
Berkeley, Hystfield, Gloucestershire:
Novice: Inviting, variety of fences including hedges and timber, generously sized pen.
Intermediate: Up to height, plenty of hedges and some drops, pen.
Open: Challenging, good hedges, plenty of drops, feature hedge with large ditch in front (also now an option in the inter). Several hilly sections so needs a fit horse. A few twists and turns but also long galloping sections.
Official photographs:
https://galleries.everybodysmile.co.uk/cgi-bin/public.cgi?Id=352244
Grafton, Sulgrave, Northamptonshire:
Novice: Very inviting, rails and a few hedges, mainly level course, good first time option as not especially big.
Intermediate: Some good hedges, rails, one hilly section, twists and turns in early part.
Open: Lots of good hedges, some timber, quite hilly, feature angled drop, early twists and turns. Good first open.
Official photographs: https://galleries.everybodysmile.co.uk/cgi-bin/public.cgi?Id=28048
Cotswold, Andoversford, Gloucestershire:
Lush parkland turf, undulating
Novice: Very inviting, lots of variety, hedges, stone walls, water splash, wooded sections. Hilly so need some steering/brakes! Uphill finish.
Intermediate: Again lots of variety, some twists and turns, drops, 'shooting butt', wooded section, drop over water and trakehner. Uphill finish, quite long so need fit horse.
Open: All the variety you could wish for including new feature Irish bank (with alternative), drops (one over water), dressing fence, ditches, some solid timber, uphill finish. Not the biggest so good first open. Uphill finish, need a fit horse.
https://galleries.everybodysmile.co.uk/cgi-bin/public.cgi?Id=353815
Essex and Suffolk, Semer, Suffolk:
Parkland, undulating
Novice: On mainly level ground, very inviting, hedges, some timber, water crossing.
Intermediate: Challenging; several road crossings, hilly section, hedges and timber. Water crossing.
Open: Varied and challenging. Several road crossings including good drop hedge, several combination fences with banks/steps, feature 'rider frightener' hedge with ditch in front, woodland sections. Water crossing. Final road crossing hedges less demanding than in the past.
https://7966004.tifmember.com/v/photos/89603bxk/C314289604/essex-suffolk-hunt-team-chase-semer
Oakley, Towcester, Northants:
Undulating farmland. New event in 2019 so course still evolving.
Novice: inviting, timber and hedges, some island fences, rail into water (last fence). Quite small so good for first timers
Intermediate: Some good hedges, a couple with drops, timber, rail into water, twisty middle section, angled pen.
Official photographs: https://galleries.everybodysmile.co.uk/simplephotoshots_1600/fbh/
Fernie, Tur Langton, Leices:
Undulating farmland
Novice: Hedges, some timber, one of the bigger novices but jumps well. Generous pen with hedge to jump out. Rail before ‘trot-in’ water. Twists and turns and downhill accuracy question.
Intermediate: Good hedges, some with drops, some solid timber, more challenging pen, rail and log into water. Twists and turns and downhill accuracy question, tighter pen. Hill to second half so needs a fit horse.
National Championship: Good hedges with drops and some ditches in front, solid timber, accuracy questions and the odd ‘rider frightener’, twists and turns, rail and log into water, tight turn in pen. Hill to second half and longish course so needs a fit horse as would be expected for a championship.
Official photographs:
https://roserodgersphotography.zenfolio.com/p693417360/h8BCC3858#h8bcc3858
Worcestershire, Bromgrove, Worcs:
Gently undulating farmland, relatively new course and continually being updated and improved.
Novice: Inviting with twisty early section, timber and hedges (mainly on second half), generous pen through woods.
Intermediate: Twisty early section with quarry, good hedges with lots of turning later on, solid timber, pen.
Open: Challenging, good hedges with ditches in front and behind, 'rider frighteners' including ski jump, twists and turns, water splash needs accuracy, pen.
Official photographs: https://galleries.everybodysmile.co.uk/cgi-bin/public.cgi?Id=359608
Avon Vale, Bromham, Wiltshire:
Pastureland, steep in parts.
Novice: Inviting, hedges and timber, 'trot-in' water splash, hedge pen.
Intermediate: A mix of small and larger fences, hedges and timber, water splash, hedge pen.
Open: Challenging, some good hedges including ditches in front, large hedge pen, step ups and drops, accuracy questions, water splash.
Official photographs: https://stephburchphoto.zenfolio.com
Bicester with Whaddon Chase, Newton Morrell, Oxon:
Level pastureland
Novice: Very inviting, timber and some hedges, two water crossings and small rail before water. Ideal for first timers.
Intermediate: Solid hedges which jump well, twists and turns, water crossings and drop rail into water. Some timber.
Open: Challenging, mainly good hedges, twists and turns, accuracy questions, three water crossings and drop rail into water.
Official photographs: https://galleries.everybodysmile.co.uk/cgi-bin/public.cgi?Id=360056
Heythrop, Chipping Norton:
New course in 2021, well-built fences in large enclosures on gently undulating ground. Continues to be developed.
Novice: Inviting and fairly small, mixture of timber and stone walls, a couple of hedges and some portables.
Intermediate: Some good, up to height hedges, timber, stone walls, a few drops and requires steering and brakes
Official photos: https://galleries.everybodysmile.co.uk/michaelfreeman/eques/
Kimblewick, Great Missenden, Bucks:
The Kimblewick was a new course in 2022 running over old pasture and
through woodland, the course is mainly flat. Both courses are well
built. Improvements to both courses are planned for 2023 to make
them more inviting.
Novice: Up to height but solidly built and inviting. Timber and a few
hedges, a couple of drops. The novice has
been eased since 2022 with the previous accuracy questions reduced.
Intermediate: Solidly built timber and some hedges with more
being laid. The course is inviting and flows well. There are accuracy
questions including a quarry. The course will continue to evolve in
2023.
Official photos: https://eophoto.co.uk/events/